


Stay out of the light

by Raisedyoulikeaphoenix



Series: We Must be Killers [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Cannibalism, Cannibalistic Thoughts, Character Death, Hannibal is a Cannibal, M/M, Murder Husbands, Will is a Cannibal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-06-22
Packaged: 2018-01-17 20:19:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1401211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raisedyoulikeaphoenix/pseuds/Raisedyoulikeaphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always has been in Will, the twisted images in his mind, fighting the urge himself to unleash his darkness. He controls himself until one day he meets a psychiatrist thinking that the doctor himself would be a first easy victim; he was wrong. In a twisted game of wits and some dinner dates, the two each sing a serenade to each other expressing their art in the best possible way <i>murder</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the typos also the part when smoke is blown in Hannibal's face is a part they took out on season one when the copy cat Minnesota shrike killed the girl, there was supposed to be a part when she was rude and Hannibal didn't like it. Feedback is welcome thanks everyone, updates will be late on my other fics, but enjoy!! Thanks (listen to the commentary on s1 ep1 on DVD)

Will pulled up his collar as he follows his latest victim in the cold spring air it's barely eleven at night and Will had already decided that the psychiatrist would make a perfect piece to his collection, he turned down the alley expecting the man to find his car, that's when Will would strike.

It had been nearly two weeks since Will had began to stalk the psychiatrist who was _really boring_ to Will; he had the same schedule, stay at his office see patients, drive home and occasionally he would stop at stores, coffee shops and twice at the dry cleaners nothing out of the ordinary, he had learned quick enough the older man had no family, no loved ones not even a pet. It was easier than said that he wouldn't be that missed, Will found quickly the man kept to himself, in a sense he was _the loneliest_ on earth. 

Much like Will himself, he had a job at the FBI academy teaching young minds to profile killers, after years of teaching and observing crime scenes, he had obscured enough information how not to be caught, what really happened to Will was that he would place himself in the minds of the said murderer taking over his/her mind; it was a gift like none the FBI had seen before, although he was never a official FBI agent, never able to pass some of the screenings. He was a gift to Jack Crawford who taken him as a special consulter in some of the gruesome murders that left Will speechless.

Lately although it was becoming almost easier to look than to look away, something he would never admit to himself or anyone that he worked for in that matter, over the past few days Will had heard word that the academy was thinking of sending Will to a psych evaluation.

Will blamed himself for that one, his last case was a woman who had been brutally maimed, almost all of her face had been tore away; in her own home, the subjection was that a animal had done it but after some poking around there was a severed pair of scissors which held fingerprints all over them, Will had spent too much time in the room; picturing himself as the murderer he left the room frightened and had damaged the crime scene, his fingerprints had almost ruined the scissors, along with his feet dragging in the spattered blood, Jack had pushed the idea away as much as he could but everyone was questioning his authority in the manner of Will, once the psychiatrists, therapists and doctors had poked enough in Will's head, he would soon know the diagnostic of his illness.

He had damaged the crime scene something, that many mere FBI agents would be fired or suspended for- instead he was back at the classroom back teaching students, it was all too much the anxiety he suffered daily when he would be think of the mere thought be discovered and hanged on a pole to dry.

So in a sense targeting the psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter he would seek out his own form of therapy, he stopped walking to see the man turn down another alley. 

Instead the alleyway is empty, Will is confused. "What?" Will whispers to himself, watching his breath gather in the air, turning he heard footsteps. It was a mistake, he should of just gone home take a sick day at work and try to relax.

What was he thinking, how was he going to possible murder someone, he held his eyes towards the ground while the footsteps loomed behind, making it impossible to keep his calm, then it stopped. He looked around the empty street and alleyway. Something wasn't right, he nearly sprinted back to his car, unlocking it he fumbled dropping the keys in the process instead of a set of hands shoved Will against the car.

Will began to panic, the set of hands belonged to the man that Will had been stalking for the past two weeks, he knew in a instant that his life was over, the man probably already alerted the authorities it wouldn't be long until Will was in handcuffs and behind bars. He awaited for the sirens to come, instead the man holds Will against the car. With the other hand he held Will's keys.

"You have been watching me _haven't you_? For what may I ask?" Dr. Lecter asked him, his breathing became almost impossible as the hand holding Will pressed against his chest. 

There was no sirens, nothing the older man clearly wanted to handle it himself, with no sense of lying he felt his vision become blurred he was losing conscious; "I don't know- just you."

Hannibal shoved Will hard into the car, causing him to gasp for air. Hysteria was consuming him, the older man looked angered, but there was amusement still lingering upon his face.

"Don't you dare lie to me William." Dr. Lecter hissed at him pressing more pressure on Will's chest, "If you lie this will not end well for you, that I can _promise you._ "

Will nervously shallowed hard, "I-I followed you because, I thought you would be easy." Will choked out feeling his chest be revived of some pressure, "how did you know could my name?"

Hannibal laughs and it's almost musical to Will's ears, "I know many things Will, but this game you're trying to play is almost childish, a ludicrous assumption that you would think I was _easy to kill_." 

Hannibal let go of the pressure he applied to Will's chest, he never said he wanted to kill Hannibal- he barely spoke and the man knew almost everything about him, scowling at Hannibal he wanted his keys and to be thankful that he hadn't decided to call the police.

Will felt his normal breathing come back, as his chest was revived. "I never said, to kill you." He could barely get the words out, he placed his hands on his knees and began coughing, "please."

Hannibal eyed him warily, he tossed Will's keys back almost feeling sorry for him, "Do you want to know, how I knew?" 

"Amuse me." Will's head was still between his knees, "since you know almost everything about me."

Hannibal was enjoying himself, "Tomorrow I start consulting a patient at a FBI bureau, so I don't plan to explain much just to warn you." 

"Go on." Will's head was woozy as he sat his head up, facing the doctor he could listen now.

"Firstly you are sloppy, I myself thought you were a private investigator, or a former patient out for revenge..after a few days I decided to play along with you and your pitiful game- but you Will never grew tired, so I dug up my own research. You're Will Graham, works as a teacher at the FBI academy, you have no family unless you count your father that left you as a child and no mother at all in the picture, an orphan I assume? Yes?" Hannibal droned on, making Will feel smaller each moment.

"Yes. Just kill me or call the police already." Will spat out, "that's what you're doing isn't it?"

Hannibal appeared offended, "Why Will, if I wanted or needed you dead, why would I be _toying with you_. You would of been _dead_ the moment I seen you." His voice was playful as he touched Will briefly, "you might be useful, to me one day." 

"How's that?" He shivered beneath Dr. Lecter's touch.

"You are alone as I am, in this world and I see something in you Will- you remind me of myself when I was younger, I'll be seeing you around that is if you plan to continue your ridiculous plan on killing me." Hannibal's gentle tone, was filled with acid that made Will's stomach turn, how could he ever of managed to single handily kill Hannibal. 

"Yeah, I'll stay away from you..just stay away from me." Will's voice shook, sounding more scared than brave. He unlocked his car, he couldn't help but wonder how much more did the doctor know about Will than he was letting on, it clicked for a moment that he was going to be at the FBI tomorrow, he turned his head to see that Hannibal stood there still.

"You said- you have a patient at the FBI; what is it for?" His voice trembled.

"A teacher I was told he needed a psychological evaluation since his mental health was in question." Hannibal said with a amused expression, "that wouldn't happen to be you _would it_ Will, because with my testimonial that you planned to murder me; that could mean the end of your career." Hannibal coaxes him, Will felt himself become sick, he wanted to vomit. He leaned out of his car door dry heaving nothing would come out, sweat smeared in his eyes he removed his glasses wiping them off he stared back at Hannibal.

"I'll do anything, just let me go." Will tried speaking to Hannibal who merely laughed. 

"Then impress me, tomorrow I'll shall pretend that we have never met before aside from that meeting. After you impress me, I shall pass your evaluation with flying colours." Hannibal was blackmailing Will and there wasn't a thing he couldn't do about it, let alone that he was caught by the man that had showed Will he too could play along, until he would strike ending Will.

"How do I impress you?" Will asked quickly, holding his stomach he watched Hannibal walk towards the driver's door he leaned in, Will could inhale his scent.

"Think without being caught, how can you murder someone in a way the infamous Chesapeake Ripper would applaud you for?" Hannibal said quietly almost too low for Will to hear, "nothing unless you impress me first, then we can play our game."

"What did you say?" Will echoed, the mere sentence of the Chesapeake Ripper made Will's ears ring, the last time he had even heard that name was almost four years ago when the ripper had reached his supposed final and most fatal victim of them all, Miriam Lass a student Jack had recruited to help him find the ripper, it was something that still haunted Jack to the very day. 

Will looked up at Hannibal who smiled in the darkness, he knew then that he had unleashed a deadly game upon them both.

"Goodbye Dr. Lecter." Will saw that Hannibal didn't bother with goodbyes he was already walking away from Will.

He drove off with Hannibal still in view. When he was around the corner, he closed his eyes at a traffic stop; with Hannibal's words playing over in his mind, " _how can you murder someone in a way the infamous Chesapeake Ripper would applaud you for?"_ Had Hannibal admitted in a manner that he too was a killer the very murderer that Jack Crawford spent years over; only for him to slip through his grasp.

A car honking behind Will caused him to jump, he shifted his car into gear driving quickly not daring to try and turn around. 

( ) ( ) ( )

"Will I would like you to meet Dr. Lecter." Jack explained solely, while Will only held his graze with the floor trying to keep awake, after he drove home after meeting his almost potential victim- sleep was out of the question, Will stayed up all night cleaning his home from top to bottom; then he had spent the majority scrubbing his body knowing he wasn't clean or acceptable to Dr. Lecter.

In a sense he wanted a good impression on Dr. Lecter despite their first encounter hadn't gone so well, he snapped awake smelling his own sweat, Jack eyes watched Will with caution before allowing Will to shake the doctor's hand, his grip was firm as Will pulled away the doctor smiled.

"I'm Will, sorry I am kinda tired. Couldn't sleep last night." Will added blinking blearily, his glasses managed to slip off his face, Hannibal caught them before they hit the floor handing them to Will who muttered a thank you. "When do our sessions start?"

"Will, don't be rude. Without Dr. Lecter's help; you would be on suspension- you're going to began possibly this evening- thank you again Dr. Lecter, for doing this." Jack shook the man's hand earning a wry smile from him. 

Will holds his breath he closes his eyes picturing Dr. Lecter moving backwards with Crawford he can even picture them both sitting together as they awaited for Will to appear, as he closes his eyes again he's standing there listening to their voices that sound almost a hundred miles away, their conversation is dull and pointless; Will stands near Hannibal, watching the 'good doctor' suddenly Will is angered, angry he had ended up in a such a mess he couldn't do a thing about, he removes the pocket knife he always carried on him.

He stood behind Dr. Lecter holding the knife in one hand while the other held him in place, he heard nothing besides the heartbeats of both Dr. Lecter and himself, a private serenade for the two.

Dr. Lecter remained motionless, while Will held himself in place unmoving much himself.

"I place my knife against Dr. Lecter's throat, the attack he feels every movement as the knife pulls away revealing a stream of blood that clouds my glasses, the death itself is quick and he feels pain, but only for a moment as he thrashes holding his throat, his last breath is of himself gurgling, his eyes are open watching as I end him." Will laughs, it's almost amusing that he could even think of killing the doctor so easily, "this is my design." Will adds, "a poorly produced design."

"You can do better than that- try again William." The waxy corpse of Dr. Lecter sneered at him, causing Will to shake, "you're joking right, slitting my throat open..try again Will." The corpse is silent, Will blinks again realising that Crawford and Dr. Lecter had been staring at him for a short amount of time.

"Shit." Will mutters, Crawford and the doctor take no notice, after Will appeared to snap away from his hallucination. Jack is used to it almost, while Hannibal's lip is curled and once again Will wonders how much the doctor knew.

"Good to see that you're back with us, away from daydreaming _right Will_." Jack consulted him, his failed attempts at a joke make Will only feel more soured towards the whole ordeal, he stared at Dr. Lecter's shoes his shame might as well be perhaps written all over his face. 

"I can promise you that Will, is in good hands." Hannibal spoke modestly, "nearly all that are aware they are being psychoanalysed tend to be harder to steer in the correct direction." 

"That's good news I needed to hear." Jack comments grasping at the concept his finest piece of China was broken and being sent away for repairs.

"You won't like me when I'm psychoanalysing," Will says bitterly finding his own sense of dark humour tasteless almost, "once again when do the sessions begin?"

Dr. Lecter handed Will a appointment card with the time and date, it was set for the next day, "I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning William. Do try not to be late." Dr. Lecter eyes Will dangerously, only Crawford was away from their intense conversation after his cell phone had rang, making the mood even more ominous. 

"I'll be on time."

Dr. Lecter breaks eye contact with Will, making himself almost grateful for the interruption. 

"Dr. Lecter, I have other matters to solve apparently Price and Zeller received a call from the state police that a new body was found and it looks like the likings of the the angel maker, Will you be on your best behaviour tomorrow morning, thanks again Dr. Lecter." Jack scurried away quickly, letting the two men be alone for the first time since the previous evening, Will almost despised the older man. 

"The game begins William." Dr. Lecter says making Will spine tingle, "do not let me down." 

Will only shallows hard, staring again at Dr. Lecter's shoes. "You won't be."

In Will's mind in the mere minutes he's left alone with the doctor, he's pictured his death much of the doctor's own as well, something told him that once the game was over that one or neither was going to live through it alive.

( ) ( ) ( )

Later that evening, after the bittersweet second encounter with Will Graham, Dr. Lecter was already well aware of the younger man's remarkable mind, it was no secret that Will was questionably a sociopath in the making all Hannibal needed was enough to push him along; it was boring almost waiting for the right moment when Will would strike.

"Wind him up and watch him go," Hannibal was slicing into a pair of lungs he had obtained; he wasn't even going to murder the girl he had merely asked her if she could move along after waiting so long at a train station- she was far too busy texting, the girl had taken it as a threat and blew smoke in his face. The cigarette had even been discarded on his shoes, leaving a residue. Ruining his shoes. He had followed the girl home, taking the same commute as herself, now after a restless day, he still had the girl's body in his basement of horrors, unsure what to do with her, he remembered that the Chesapeake Ripper would not be frightened by the FBI or any authority.

"He would simply leave the body to hang out to dry, another one that Jack could not save." Hannibal reassures himself, he reaches for his knife slicing the lungs into almost perfect shreds he thinks longer as he begins to cook, his mind always racing and calmly the situation is almost ideal.

He would simply tonight drive the body across, dumping it upon a open field but of course it would be perfectly bow tied and wrapped for Crawford's team; he saw a set of antlers that sat before his very own eyes, closing them he could picture himself puncturing the now dead girl onto them impaling her in the process. 

She was nothing to Hannibal, and as dawn broke in the morning he would then watch the confused efforts of the FBI point and poke at the killer, much like a game of hide and seek the killer would not be easy to find and Hannibal by this time was careful at his craft, he would never kill like this again, he knew it would be only a matter of time before Will figured out it was an invitation.

Hannibal longed for such a time almost decades for a companion much like Will, after finding out that the very man himself was tracking him down and playing a sloppy childish game with the doctor was much like being handed on a golden platter. 

He heard a timer go off, setting himself back into reality he had only a matter of time before Will would become his most prized object.

( ) ( ) ( )

"Unbelievable! How is that even possible?! Get her out of here!" Crawford hissed at two officers who had reported to Crawford a journalist or in Will's opinion a _gossip rag_ was trying again to break in on the FBI's crime scene. 

The field was empty when a hunter and his son spotted the girl, at first they thought it was a prop until the noticed the brutal way her organs had been ripped apart, needless to say the father/son duo had lost their breakfast.

"I don't care, get her out. If this out on the presses before lunch, that's just going to open up a new hell on us all." Jack shouts orders at Zeller who immediately jumps at Jack's call. 

Will was in Hibbing Minnesota, it had been a very long day so far and even calling to delay his first appointment was the only highlight of his morning, Hannibal had agreed; telling Will to be careful. 

The crows were pulling apart the young woman's body organs, or what was left. Will had looked around the young woman, her liver and lungs were missing; she was nude and her eyes were wide open appearing vacant and glassy, the killer that had done this had no love for the victim in fact she was a pig, or in a better sense trash to the killer. 

"The Minnesota Police are calling this one the Minnesota Shrike, like the bird that impales it's prey before devouring it later." Price spoke up while he was taking photographs, making Crawford's mood even worse.

"The police received a call last night that the stag head was stolen, probably thought it was a bunch of drunk kids stealing things as a dare." Jack, motioned for Will to come towards him, "what do you think?"

"Her lungs were removed while she was still alive, the killer wanted her to feel pain. There was nothing no affection connection- just he wanted her dead so her organs were his- the brutal way she was killed; the killer is a man- he doesn't want to destroy women." Unblinking Will stated flatly, his fingers twitch feeling uneasy himself.

"What does he want?" Jack said aloud, as Will stared off into space.

"The person that did this was a cannibal, he's mocking us almost with her body." Will hesitated, he felt like the killer was not only mocking the FBI but Will himself.

_Something that the Chesapeake Ripper would applaud._ Dr. Lecter's words still remained in his head, he felt uneasy each moment he stood there. 

Will stared back at the severed stag head, while the body was still mounted onto it, making his stomach turn in knots. The girl had been someone's daughter, sister or even a mother. The fact that a small portion of her organs were missing made Will picture himself as the killer. 

Closing his eyes, he stands before the woman. Her mouth is gagged, she appeared tied already to something, a steel stainless gurney, She whimpered in fear as Will came closer into view, he turns to see he's not alone with the girl. 

Hannibal stands behind, his hands are folded behind him as he nods, encouraging Will. 

"I take my knife and spread her ribcage open, her body goes immediately into shock, as her screams become almost gurgled, while in shock she is in too much pain already as her eyes are wide and pleading I feel no mercy for her; she is a pig. In her last moments I rip out her lungs, with one of her main sources of life are gone, along with her life." Will placed the lungs, still bloody onto a perfectly stainless steel table.

With himself drenched in blood, he laughs finding the laughter almost manic, he held himself up for support.

"Are you afraid William?" Dr. Lecter's voice floats, he sounds like he's coming from a thousand different places, unable to trace the source. 

"No. This is my design, to cover up what I've really done, removing organs- it's morbid." Will says detached, "this is-."

"Will!" Jack shouted causing Will to break away from his thoughts, Katz, Price and Zeller all exchange nervous looks, before returning to their own devices, Jack stood with his hands at his sides, he was still fuming unable to keep his anger under control, "Will I asked you a question."

Will takes a deep breath, "our cannibal loves women, he wants to consume them." Finally finishing he watched Jack's team clench repulsed by the mere idea. 

"That's sick." Zeller says, while Price grimaced in response.

"How in the hell do we catch the bastard, before he strikes again?" Jack says irate, he was walking under the police tape, Will stood motionless.

Trying to catch a intelligent psychopath won't be easy, the man would always be two steps ahead of the bureau. 

"He won't kill like this again, after this becomes public he'll hide away watching us fumble over our own steps." Will's tone is flat, "if you're so concerned about him why don't you ask Dr. Lecter to draw up a psychological profile. Since you enjoy _his opinion so much_." Will snapped, turning on his heel he left the field with his gloves still on, in disgust he removed the gloves tossing them on the ground.

He could hear Jack calling after him, along with Katz but it wasn't enough for Will to turn around, better for them to think he was suffering a Will moment.

"Something that the Chesapeake Ripper would applaud for." Will finished Dr. Lecter's sentence for him.

( ) ( ) ( ) 

"Good afternoon William, how was your day?" Dr. Lecter asked Will as he sat down across from him.

"Firstly, my name is Will- William is something far too formal for myself." Will replied sourly, he held his focus on Dr. Lecter's shoes, they were shinny and to Will's belief they appeared new, he wondered what had happened to his previous pair.

"You got new shoes, strange." Will muttered to himself, Dr. Lecter took no notice. 

"Jack tells me you would be difficult to hold a conversation with, but I believe you will find later on I could be possibly a friend for you." Dr. Lecter suggests, "you have yet impressed me."

"What, is this how to make friends with psychopaths?" Will said coolly, shooting his eyes at the man who only shook his head

"A possible friendship I see will be quite difficult won't it."

Will only held his graze studying the hardwood patterns in the floor, he didn't want to answer the doctor.

"Very Well Will," Dr. lecter toys with the younger man, he stands walking towards the office door locking it, "I don't believe your distant mood has anything to deal with the case of the Minnesota Shrike now does it Will?" Dr. Lecter's voice is almost emotionless, "or is something else on your mind this afternoon?" 

"You said I had to impress you, in order to pass my evaluation- why don't you let me end this unusual session and go?" Will said nonchalantly, he avoided looking at the doctor's eyes in fear of being examined under a microscope. 

He was under a spotlight each day, he would avoid anyone that wanted direct human contact with Will: even if it meant not answering his phone for hours, in truth Will preferred not talking, it took up much of his pitiful efforts. 

"Will you are free at any moment to leave, I am not holding you hostage now am I?" Dr. Lecter repulsed in return, he gestured towards the door. 

"If I leave, you're just going to tell Jack how I truly behaved myself this afternoon aren't you?" 

"What my choices lead to Will are nothing of your business, the game is still on, a murderer such as the Shrike should become yesterday news if you succeed in impressing me." Dr. Lecter tethered his head, staring at Will with his careful eyes, almost studying him.

"When does my session end?"

"In five more minutes, there are a few guidelines I would care to go over with you." 

Hannibal unbuttoned his jacket hanging it on a coat rack, "sorry it's quite warm in here."

Will resisted the urge to scoff at the doctor, his muscles beneath his dress shirt were maddening to Will, how a man his age stayed in shape was a question itself; he pictured Dr. Lecter carrying the now dead girl placing her on the stag head, sweat would barely drip down his back as he took a step back admiring his own work. 

It clicked for a moment in Will's head, "you're the Minnesota Shrike aren't you?"

Dr. Lecter remained still, "Will, it took you this long to figure it out? I'm quite ashamed, not that it matters. You won't be telling the FBI anymore than I will be telling Crawford you planned to kill myself." His voice to Will is poison but much like a deadly animal that looks harmless when Will is not on alert, that's when Dr. Lecter would strike. "The Shrike wasn't my best work, I admit myself."

"Why her? She has a mother and."

"The question isn't why- it's all part of the game, if you forfeit or even try to alert the authorities once again Will this won't end well, if you try to kill me again or any other way." Dr. Lecter applied gentle pressure against Will's shoulder inching his hand against Will's throat, Will feels his heart flutter inside like the wings of a bird in flight.

"You will kill me." Will says coldly, and Dr. Lecter only sighed.

"I'm glad to see you understand now. I believe you have a long drive home, I'll be seeing you tomorrow, please do try to play fairly." Dr. Lecter let go of Will's body, he grabbed his tweed jacket hanging next to Dr. Lecter's own.

"You won't be disappointed- goodbye Dr. Lecter." Will slammed the office door behind him, he could feel the doctor's eyes following him even still as he left the building. 

It wasn't very encouraging.

( ) ( ) ( )

Will thought it was going to be difficult to find his _true first_ victim, but after stopping at a supermarket to buy some groceries he was proven wrong, at the checkout lane a younger man not even barely 34 was standing in line he had shouted at the grocery clerk for almost five minutes straight causing the young teenager to cry, with her smeared makeup the man seemed satisfied the manger showed up giving the man a discount on almost all of his purchase, Will disgusted by the man's actions had left his food in the shopping cart he followed the man out to the parking lot, in the evening sky was almost a deepened purple. He could make out a older car, Will got into his own car following the man out of the parking lot.

He merely drove only twenty minutes away before he arrived at a even more rundown home, he laughed as he grabbed his food, Will even noticed the man had a dog sitting in the driveway, the man kicked it out of his way. 

Will felt his heart fall inside, he was a animal lover at heart although he wasn't home too often to own a pet he still would send money out to the shelters and was a member of a animal saving program, kicking the helpless animal set the fate of the man.

Will drove away back to his home, when he arrived back in Wolf Trap he found inside his mailbox a small package box tied perfectly with a golden ribbon, ignoring the junk mail and the bills Will took the box inside untying it as he went. 

A letter fell out, inside the box was a knife that was wrapped in a red silk cloth, the knife was sharp to the touch he glanced at his reflection amazed at such a gift, he unfolded the letter it was written in a careful script, to Will's surprise it was none other's than Dr. Lecter's very own.

_Will, I believe you shall find this useful, best of luck._ There was no signature or anything else, but Will knew who it was, he took the letter setting it inside the fireplace as it burned and crisped Will's stomach growled, he helped himself to a bowl of clam chowder while he regretted burning the note so quickly, was it possible that he could of shown the note to the FBI and possibly take himself out of the game?

No. He couldn't the chances are far too low for any trace of fingerprints let alone Will be able to make it out _alive_ after he delivered the note, he didn't find it strange his first instinct was to burn the note. It felt _right_ to destroy the evidence.

Shivering, despite a large fire Will took the knife out examine it in the kitchen light it's true beauty and work had yet still come to light; he touched the handle again and found himself longing to drag the knife into the man's stomach.

He smiled to himself, finding he no longer held a taste for stability. The knife beckoned him much like Macbeth suffering from his own hallucinations and madness, claimed he too was called out by the dagger to do it's work. 

( ) ( ) ( )

_Earlier:_

Hannibal had finished tying the perfect bow around the brown box, wrapping it to his liking he had very easily found Will's home- not too many neighbours were around to be sole witnesses, he had waited until the mailman had delivered the usual mail before opening his Mercedes door and finding the small red mailbox, he had wore gloves incase Will decided to end the game.

The box fit perfectly inside, Hannibal had been at Will's house many other times, when the man slept Hannibal usually watched over him like Will's own personal angel, Hannibal had even been inside once or twice. 

The home itself was large, filled with food that made Hannibal's nose wrinkle in disgust, the younger man wasn't the type to cook a decent meal. Will survived on water, tea, boxes and boxes of mac and cheese, there was very few objects that even indicted that a man nearly in his late 30's lived there. There was a very abused older coffee pot with enough coffee beans to survive a war, the only mere supplies of meat were the freshly stocked fish that he had caught.

"You will soon be catching more than fish soon." He muttered.

Hannibal had been sure to make a mental note to invite the man over to dinner after he had proven Hannibal he too was worthyjj of the game. His living room was furnished barely, the bedroom and bathroom were the only parts that said Will actually lived there. 

There was a office room and an other bathroom, other than that the house itself was quite lonely. As it's owner was.

On the kitchen table it looked messy, Hannibal with much disincentive found nothing of interest, there were brochures on rescuing animals, a few receipts and nothing more.

The only night he watched Will sleep, was in a sense the only time Will was not showing signs of how truly stressed he was, or even the mere fact he was suffering from a rare condition his mind was in doubts even on who he was any longer, Hannibal himself knew that it was only a short matter of time before he would self destruct, in that moment when Will finally realised who he was; Hannibal would be waiting in the sidelines to show Will how truly beautiful he really was.

His skills and appearance were both attractive enough to the doctor. His shifting body as he slept was peaceful _for now_.

"Unstable and suffering from hysteria, quite a mixture." Hannibal says causally, as if he were discussing the weather with Will's sleeping body. 

He watches from a distance in his car, at the home. It's empty for the moment, he can almost hear Will's car- he blinks watching a car pull up into the driveway, Will steps out looking warily around the grounds, before going inside he opened the mailbox pulling out the perfectly wrapped box, a gleeful expression spreads across the younger man's face.

For now Hannibal keeps his distance letting Will enjoy his gift, it's a sign of trust that Will even takes the box inside abandoning his pile of junk and bills.

"What do you see Will?" Hannibal whispered aloud to himself, driving away he can only wonder if Will is up for his turn in the game.

( ) ( ) ( )

That night after the gift had been delivered Will was holed up in his car, without anyone else around in the man's neighbourhood it was grim weather, it had decided to rain after all, every so often a clap of thunder would rip across the sky, followed by lightning.

He waited until the last light in the home had been switched off, he then moved away from his car, watching the street for cars, none came it didn't surprise Will with it being nearly two in the morning. 

The man has a sliding glass door, Will knowing skills that would never trace him back to this home, he wears gloves prying the door open it creaks slowly. He steps into the filthy rundown home, there is a scent of cigarettes, old garbage and a scent of fried chicken, Will is careful not to step upon the garbage, he spies the dog which to his surprise was chewing on a old soda can.

Will rounded the corner looking into a bathroom that looked unkept with clothing, towels and enough trash, the room reeked.

The next room the man slept on, Will assumed he was under his own sedatives that being beer, Will stepped over mounds of junk careful not to step on anything the floor creaked and sounded to Will's ears like gunfire. The man only grunted as Will stood over him, he held the knife at a range that would be perfect enough to slice his throat open. 

Will glanced at the alarm clock it read 2:57am, the man dozed and Will carefully held a rag over his mouth stuffing it down incase the man decided to wake up in the middle of Will's first design.

His heart fluttered against his chest, was he hesitating? To answer his question the man's eyes flickered open, to see Will standing over him. Becoming alarmed he tried to get up, Will held him down using all his strength he outweighed the man in those few moments. He took the knife stabbing it inside the man's throat, he saw blood flow through his mouth staining his teeth in the process, he gurgled in response. 

The wound wasn't enough to kill him, Will drove the knife into the man's chest, ripping it open he watched in horror as the blood was sprayed on him; the deep marooned colours spattered upon him. The man's eyes budged he was still alive.

"Take his heart Will." Dr. Lecter's stable voice coaxes him, he glanced at the man's chest with it's cavity spread wide and apart, he didn't remember doing it, his arms were already elbow deep inside him, he felt the man shake beneath him with arms going limp. 

Will took the knife grabbing ahold of the man's beating heart, he showed him then the man's eyes remained frozen in shock, while Will prepared for this grabbed his cooler placing the heart inside it, he stood up feeling the warm stickiness of blood on himself he wasn't sure what he could do with the body- the dog was still chewing on the can.

"Dispose of him," Dr. Lecter's voice suggested, Will's eyes flicked towards a book of matches grabbing them he went back outside to his car, finding his gas can he shakes it, with it nearly full Will decides that only fire can wipe away his crime.

For the time being. 

Will wasn't entirely emotionless, he firstly took the dog out of there shooing it down the road, the dog seem to thank him; running down and away from it's own personal hell. He poured gasoline splashing puddles onto the floor, he poured the most in the kitchen, he flicked a single match staring at it before tossing it into a puddle of gasoline.

The match did it's trick, the blue and orange embers took flight engulfing the kitchen in one shallow, he felt the room become hot without another glance Will escaped out the very same door he had come into.

With the fire slowly spreading through out the house he drove away, he didn't stop driving until he was far enough away, he stopped at a local rest area ripping off his bloody clothing he disposed of them setting them beneath the growing piles of trash. 

He rinsed off his body as best he could, watching the rusted colour sinks fill with the blood of the man he killed. As he dried off his hair he pulled a sweater and jeans on, he no longer was picturing himself murdering people, he now was among them.

Strangely he felt no remorse no guilt, it seemed almost _righteous_. He saw himself in the cracked mirror grinning at himself, behind him was Dr. Lecter he knew then he had proven himself worthy he could hear Dr. Lecter's voice ringing in his ears. 

"You've done well Will, but not you aren't finished yet." The mirrored Dr. Lecter advised him.

Will nodded knowing it was his turn to deliver a gift.

( ) ( ) ( ) 

Will is in a forest without anything besides his gun, holding it out as he roamed the woods, was it day or night he couldn't tell. There was never ending darkness as he walked, he felt the cold air hit him slicing his skin open like a knife.

"Hello?" Will called out, no one appeared he moved on, never seeming to stop, a creak stopped him in his tracks turning he saw a creature like none other, it was the size of a deer, but stood bigger with feathers on it's sides making unbelievable. Then again it didn't have to make sense, Will was the only one seeing it.

The animal stood staring at Will, unblinking. 

Dr. Lecter appeared from behind the animal moved in response, "do you know who you are Will?" The voice spoke, it sounded cold and distant.

"I know."

"Then who are you?"

Will shallowed hard, his mouth drier than the dessert itself. "I'm yours."

In response Dr. Lecter beckoned Will to come closer, "then show me." Dr. Lecter pulled him closer almost until their lips were touching, Will could feel himself becoming limp, he closed his eyes dropping the gun, he was so close to kissing his doctor, if only he-.

A pounding on his door awoke him, he was sleeping in a chair wearing only his boxers and nothing more, he stood up as the pounding came again.

Groaning Will walked to the door, it was a delivery man who was going to give up on the last knock, Will apologised for him standing in the rain, the man only needed Will to sign for a envelope then he was off on his way.

Taking the box it had no traceable address he peeled the envelope open inside was a single letter, he let the envelope fall on the floor, he felt a ghost of a smile upon his lips reading it.

_Will, I've received your gift. Please stop by for dinner this evening._ There was a set of directions Will memorised them before burning the envelope and it's letter in the fireplace, he could barely remember how he had arrived home let alone delivered the heart to Dr. Lecter, he had simply reused the box that the doctor had set his gift in, after that the rest of the early morning is hazy to Will.

He had slept most of the day it was nearly three in the afternoon, deciding he had enough sleep he went into his bathroom to wash up and ready himself for his first dinner with the doctor. 

If only if he could remember what he was dreaming about, he blamed himself for digesting a few sleeping pills and to top it off a half of bottle of scotch.

Climbing into the shower he was sure the dream would eventually come back.

( ) ( ) ( )

"Good evening Will." Dr. Lecter holds the door wide open, Will hands him a bottle of wine, it's the most expensive bottle he could afford, after handing it off to the doctor he is engulfed by the scent of food that itself was making Will's mouth water, "enjoying the bouquet before the wine?" 

"What, sorry I kinda zoned out for a moment." Will says apologising, he slips his jacket off hanging it on a pole, "the scent is amazing, I can only picture how it tastes." 

Dr. Lecter escorts him to the kitchen there's a large pot on the stove it's steaming as Dr. Lecter removed the lid, "I've prepared a casual dish this evening, I learned your father and you were from Louisiana so I made a ethical meal."

"Gumbo? It smells mouth watering, when do we eat?" Will's voice chuckled, "did you enjoy my gift?"

"You did well Will, yet it's being investigated as a madman with a blowtorch, is this your greatest design Will?" Dr. Lecter's lips turned into a curl, "I believe you can do better, after all." 

Will sighed, he had already rehearsed the conversation on the two hour ride on the way over here, he knew too that he could do better. "Yeah, but it was a long shot."

Dr. Lecter smiled, he opened the bottle of wine. "This will do, it's not always the value of wine but the taste, just because someone appears well kept and inviting does that mean they are better?"

"I guess _not_ ," Will says confused as his eyebrows knitted together, he helped himself to a glass of wine, while Hannibal enjoyed the scent Will finished his in three gulps, sending the wine straight to his head, he didn't even bother to try and enjoy it's taste.

"Dinner is served." Dr. Lecter says, not allowing Will to even move a muscle as he carried their platters into the next room, "Will, you are simply my guest, if you try to help it shall be declined."

Standing and feeling helpless while the older man sat the table, Will snuck off pouring himself another glass of wine, the second one he tried to enjoy it's taste, unable to find it any different. He never understood the art of savouring wine; he was more liked to guzzle a beer than wine. From his perspective he automatically assumed that Dr. Lecter was not the type that regularly sat down and drank beer, his second glass his gone he can taste the aftermath of grapes, a tingling favour in his throat leaving him only more thirsty, he helped himself to a third, leaving the room only for a moment to see Dr. Lecter was no where in sight. 

He shrugged it off, going back into the kitchen he spotted the doctor who in turn handed Will his glass of wine. It looked fuller than it had before, _nonsense, it was just his mind playing tricks again_ scolding himself.

"To us." Dr. Lecter raises his glass in rejoice, Will nodded with his glass tipping over as he clinked it against the doctor's, he drank it still finding nothing special about it. "Shall we continue in the dinning area?" Dr. Lecter led them away from the kitchen. 

Sitting next to each other is almost ominous, in a room large enough for almost ten dinner guests, the food's scent is getting the best of Will, without waiting another moment he takes a bite letting the wariness of the food settle in his mouth. 

"Dr. Lecter or Hannibal, what should I call you?" Will feels tipsy after the third glass of wine, he smirked as he took a bite of his food, his senses were heightens despite being drunk, he had never enjoyed a decent meal to it's fullest until now.

"Hannibal if you prefer, but it does not matter Will. What I care for is.." Hannibal was speaking, but Will was finding it harder to keep up, the room was moving and as Hannibal's voice became a low rumble he saw it.

The stag was in the glass doors, from his reflection he can see it's standing behind Will, he turns and sees it's not moving again. He pulls a hand towards it, that's when he snaps back into reality a crashing of plates and wine glasses send Will sprawling onto the floor, he had never been this tipsy even after half a bottle of wine usually he became calm and tired. But now. This was something different.

He had started to call the creature a stag after all, all monsters needed a actual name. 

The creature is eerily angular and gaunt as a skeleton, and a pair of long, jagged antlers juts out of it's bald head. The monster's mouth is curled, twisted into an evil grin snarling with menace. The eyes are staring into Will's own questioning him, they are yellow and vacant as if hollow inside. 

"What do you see Will?" It's voice cold as ice, "do you see?"

Will allowed his eyes roll into the back of his head, if he's correct it's another sign of his unknown crippling illness. He can hear two voices both Hannibal's and the stag.

"Will are you alright?" Hannibal extends a hand lending Will to lean against the doctor, his warmth keeps himself from shivering. He feels his eyes become heavy, he wants nothing more than to sleep even if it meant in his doctor's strong arms. 

"I-I f-fine just, let me." Will slurs feeling the doctor hold him steadily, 

"Will, stay with me." As Hannibal pressed a rag against his forehead which felt on fire to the touch, "Will?" 

"Hanni-bal." Will struggled to say, the word felt funny to his tongue, like a child saying his first word, he could feel the itchiness of skin as if acid were upon him, as he inches his head towards the kitchen he watched the creature disappear from his sight, "leaving so soon?" He managed to say, his eye sight was a bit blurry, he could hear the echoes of Hannibal's voice.

"Breathe slowly Will, I believe you suffered a slightly small seizure, nothing too draft just, here lean back." Hannibal instructed Will, who obeyed watching the doctor peer into his eyes with a small flashlight, in the time between the sighting of the creature and his small seizure he wasn't sure what to make- of anything in the few moments.

"Drink this," Hannibal presses a ice cold glass of water against Will's lips letting the cooling sensation over take him, he moves his head against the doctor, his breathing was much more controlled he felt almost in one piece again. "No more games, Will we'll continue when you feel up to it again, if I had known the effects on you."

"Agreed." Will says stumbling, "sorry to have ruined our dinner." 

Hannibal smiled at Will, "that isn't a issue Will, I am more concerned for your health than a pitiful dinner- do you care to stay here or should I drive you home? You are in no condition to drive yourself anywhere." His tone is soothing to Will's ears, he nods slowly.

"I guess it's best if I stay here, after all I can't leave my car here, if anyone including Jack saw something _like this_ it could lead to mishaps." Will laughed darkly, "as if Jack would ever suspect I was friends with my therapist or suspect that I even held feelings for another human being besides the stray dogs that roam on the highway." 

In his stun surprise he claps his hand over his mouth, _he had admitted free willingly_ that he held feelings for his doctor. Hannibal chuckled lightly, moving Will's dark locks that consumed his face almost hiding his clear blue eyes. 

"Perhaps it's a good thing caring for someone besides one's self, you may never notice but the other person you _care for_ may contain feelings for you." Hannibal says lighthearted, his face as Will glances from the floor is much like a priceless piece of art, Will could stare at it all day but at the end of the day he knew that he would never be able to process the art. 

Will feeling dizzy still, possibly from the truth serum that Hannibal had conjured into Will's glass of wine that only the good doctor knew about. Sharing his true feelings made the doctor feel quite satisfied; knowing in turn the younger man shared feelings and wasn't all filled with displeasure and vileness.

Before Hannibal knew what he was doing he cocked his head pulling Will's own towards his face, he cupped his chin in one hand pressing their lips together until Will decided to kiss back bringing the tense understanding that not only were they partners in crime they were _lovers_.

( ) ( ) ( )

Nearly a week after the uneventful kiss with Hannibal, Will finds himself going back to normal, almost of course if normal was defined by standing in a room filled with two dead bodies, poisoned and propped up to take the form of doll-like behaviour.

"They call _her_ the Barbie killer, it's tacky but I mean look- all the victims had one thing in common blue eyes and they are all women between the ages of 19 to 26. She dresses the women in bright pink clothing, something that doesn't look store bought." Beverly explains, her tone soured. Jack was busy interviewing the victim's roommate who was in no condition to speak in a clear matter. 

The roommate had been out at his job, which involved cleaning and busing tables at a restaurant, his alibi had been cleared right away he was no where near the home when the murders were occurred, unsure if he is lucky or not he only states flatly "If I hadn't been at work today." He barely uttered his name was Josh Yull before he was allowed inside.

"Do you think the killer makes them herself?" Price asks snapping another photo, "I mean my sister was crazy with Barbies but nothing like this."

The room is set with a table as if the two women were enjoying a tea party before they were abruptly interrupted, with the two women with blonde hair that looked recently dyed. They were the sixth and seventh victims only in their early twenties, the killer had been silent for almost a month, but now the doll killer was back and taking not only one victim but two.

Her normal motive was to poison her victims and poise them into unnatural positions, it was then after the women were dead or dying the killer would dye their hair blonde if it wasn't already blonde, then strip them of their clothing placing them into bright pink clothing the final step was to apply their makeup then the killer would place a toy tea pot and would set the victims into whichever way they preferred. The women remained forever doll like with their large blue eyes glancing their pale waxy skin giving them a more doll like appearance. 

"I say we go arrest Barbie while we still have a chance, she's becoming more careless." Will advised Jack who appeared tired as he felt, "she's looking for something."

"What more could she want? She's already added seven to her collection." Jack says flabbergasted, Will shakes his head remembering that Barbie also always had a Ken her boyfriend and lover, "Will, can you tell me what the hell is going on?"

"The killer is looking for a Ken doll to add to her collection, the roommate was lucky he wasn't here. He's the almost perfect match, blue eyes and a strong figure. Only for the killer found out when she arrived that Josh was not home, she could of fled she could of came back, but didn't, instead she killed not only one of the girls but both. Only one of the girls had actual blue eyes the others were brown, somehow that set the killer off." Will exchanged looks with Jack, while the roommate at that moment burst into hysterical crying.

"Get him out, now. Damn it I am ordering you to send him to a safe house until the suspect is caught." Jack barked orders at one of the police officers that obeyed taking Josh away from the scene, "of course this means if she gets her Ken doll.." Jack trailed off unable to finish his sentence.

"I need a moment Jack. Please?" Will asks and Jack escorts almost everyone but Will out of the room leaving Will to fix himself into the mind of the killer, closing his eyes he's back in the kitchen were the two girls were found dead.

"I take my time, watching the girls enjoy their coffee, after all they trust me. I'm a motherly figure to them understanding, but yet they have no idea that their coffee had a side effect today." Will stands at the counter watching the girls become confused staring at their coffee cups before slumping over.

"I remove all of their clothing that identifies them, placing on something more practical. I then take my time with their hair making it so they are truly dolls, of my own collection." Will grabbed the girl fixing them on the chairs until they are sitting with tea cups in their hands, their smiles are held up with a few quick adjustments- he sewed them until he could see their fake smiles, the girls from a distance appear to be real life sized dolls.

"Only one of the girls was supposed to be in my design, unsettled by the fact the male isn't here, I have killed them both, a unjust design I still claim it as my own. This is my design." Will finished, opening his eyes the two waxy figures stared back at him, as if they could read him.

"Jack!" Will calls out.

Jack opened the door moments later with his face in a stage of confusion he stands before Will, "so what do you think Will."

"I think that the killer whoever she may be is in her early 40's, she has lost someone close to her a daughter a niece or sister whom she felt very close with, she might own a tailor shop or a toy store..but the victims they aren't all that useless." Will carefully placed his gloved hands on a teacup turning it to Jack.

"Is that lipstick?" Jack stared both at Will and the toy set, a miraculous smile spread across his face, although it wasn't much more than a possible DNA sample it was enough.

"So the killer is getting sloppy, hopefully we can get a sample." Jack began to check the rest of the tea set.

"The killer isn't sloppy, she's just lonely." Will explained, hearing the voice of Hannibal through his mouth, "in her mind she's doing no harm, she thinks she's playing a game."

( ) ( ) ( )

"Such an absurd title isn't it? A doll killer." Mrs. Logan says as Will sits across from the woman after a few efforts half the FBI was scattered across Quantico trying to find the Barbie killer it's been only three days but Will had interviewed many toy shop and tailor shop owners in the past few days, he was on the last page of suspects after he was done visiting Gilda Logan he was back at square one in Quantico. 

In the small city of Baltimore there were very few toy shops that were still running.

"I believe that only the name itself is nothing compared to these crimes, but you used to run a tailor shop. Now you're running a toy store, Mrs. Logan what happened, you do as I noticed a remarkable job on some of the dolls clothing." Will points out, he is alone as he stares into the woman's bright green eyes, her flyaway greying hair is all but sinister she was quite welcoming offering Will tea, coffee but he had denied all.

"My daughter when she was six died, a drunk driver ran her over on her bike. Her idea was always to own a toy store, she was my only child I could not dense her of her only dying wish so after all these years I decided to open a toy shop in honour of her death, even the dolls are named Annabelle's dolls, I would hate to pry but why is the FBI questioning myself." Mrs. Logan stirred her cup of tea, adding a spoonful of sugar. 

"It is possible the killer we are after is a doll shop owner or a clothing shop owner." Will lies not going into specifics, although alarms are going off in his mind. 

Death of a loved one, and the woman owned two different shops in her lifetime. He reached for his phone to text Jack, so the FBI could get a search warrant for Mrs. Logan's home and stores. He excused himself for a moment dialling Jack's number. It rang three times before going his voicemail, Will frowned it wasn't like Jack not to wander off and forget he had a phone.

At the moment he dials Beverly Katz's number, it took nearly four rings until the line was answered, her voice was perky and streaming with excitement, Will waved over at Mrs. Logan who smiled in return.

"Will! What a pleasant surprise, I was about to call you..that DNA matched in our records to a hit and run driver from like 30 years ago, some broad ran her kid over when she was drunk." Beverly explains to Will, who feels his blood turn ice cold.

"What's her name?" Will asks in a low voice, with Mrs. Logan in plain view.

"Her name is Gilda Logan, guess you're right about that hunch of yours, she was a tailor turned creepy toy shop owner..I'm just waiting until Jack gets our warrant." Beverly says briskly, and Will shallows hard. "Wait aren't you questioning a bunch of people, Will are you there? Hello?"

Will can feel his body go numb, he quickly ends the call with Beverly, he typed a quick text message to Hannibal, unsure if it would even make it.

_Help._

His fingers hovered over Hannibal's number, he hadn't spoken to him since the night he had been kissed by the older man, after eluding him in the morning Will snuck off leaving a note behind thanking him, he was aware their next session was tomorrow evening, but he wearied each day knowing it was bound to come up the next time the two of them were alone together.

He pressed the button down on Hannibal's number, listening to it ring as he did Mrs. Logan was no longer in her small sitting area, her tea remained untouched. Will could hear the phone ring still, he grabbed the wall for support.

"Mrs. Logan, are you still here?" Will says with caution, he hovered his fingers by his gun on his side, never fired almost. 

The floor creaked, Will had forgotten he called someone, he could hear a low rumble of someone repeatedly saying 'hello.' That was when he felt the stinging sensation of a syringe pressing into the flesh of his back; numbing him almost instantly, he fell to his knees, Mrs. Logan loomed over him holding the phone that in Will's gaze said 'Hannibal Lecter.'

_Connected_.

Her green eyes had darken becoming wild, making it only more sinister as she him held up, Will stared at her, her lips had curled into a twisted smile. Will looked past her seeing the stag, its darken feathers fell on the glistening sunlight, its eyes were a deepened red as the stared back at Will.

He could hear Mrs. Logan talking, but nothing made sense. "The drugs won't be doing anything yet. Just enough to settle you down, but after that you're going to feel nothing."

"You killed all those women and for what?" Will says haughtily, "for a damn collection?"

"You silly silly boy, did your mother ever tell you what _beautiful blue eyes_ you have?" Mrs. Logan's words are mush to Will's ears, his hearing becomes clogged as he feels the drugs flowing throughout his body he can no longer talk, he knows this is the end, unable to save himself he slipped into a darken daze. 

"Let's play dress up shall we Mr. Graham?" Mrs. Logan taunts him. 

The creature was there, Will wishes he could command it to save him or even attack the source of his pain, that crippled his body. His cloud of vision clouds him as he fell into the abyss, letting it consume. 

( ) ( ) ( )

His eyes fluttered open to the familiar sounds of a heart monitor, he can feel his left arm attached to at least four different machines, he frowns trying to rip off the heart monitor machine. If this was hell he surely wasn't going to become stuck in a hospital ward for entirety of his days.

He can hear the heart machine going off, sending a nurse with laugh lines around her face. She wore a purple scrubs outfit, as she came into view she helped Will pulling the machine's monitors off him leaving him only with a IV drip and another that Will assumed was fluids or some sort of mediocre way to keep him stable.

"Mr. Graham, I'm happy to see you're awake you've been out of it for the past 48 hours. I'll go inform your doctor that you're finally awake." She perked cheerfully, her blonde hair swept past her shoulders as she breezed thorough out the room again.

"W-where am I?" Will said although his head ache, his mouth was dry.

"John Hopkins hospital, after that nasty attack with- wait you've have a visitor he's been pacing and burning a hole in the waiting room. I think he could explain better." She exited the room letting in a distraught Jack Crawford, followed by Beverly Katz. 

"Oh Will, it's so good to see you're awake!" Beverly exclaimed hugging Will tightly, until he couldn't breathe.

"I won't be if you keep hugging me like that." 

Jack remains silent, as Will looks at him he's in a set of disarray. Jack's suit looked dusty, his eyes held a ring of lines beneath them, as unkept as be was he still managed to smile at Will's stasis.

"The good news is that you're awake and we caught Gilda. She's although not in good health as you are." Jack sits in the blue hard chair, Beverly pretends to excuse herself using her phone out in the hallway.

"Afar happened to Gilda, how am I alive even?" Will asks, and Jack's face becomes darkened.

"Gilda must of had a friend or a assuming she had a someone that didn't take kindly to her methods, in plain terms she's dead." Jack rubs his face in frustration removing from inside his jacket a plain yellow folder handing to Will.

"How did she die?" Will opens the folder spilling out the crime scene photos, his stomach falls apart inside he can feel cold sweat on the back of his head. The crime scene is filled with blood nothing like the usual crime scenes, Gilda's body is stiff as a board her glassy eyes stare back at Will, he gulps as he sees her greying hair is streak with blonde dye, sloppy and nothing like the other 'Dolls' her face was craved into a menacing grin. Her clothing was bright pink and somehow Will managed to drop the photos on the tile floors of the hospital.

Shaking he wasn't able to fathom what or who killed Gilda. Thankful only the IV drips were still in him he blinks pretending to be confused by the matter. 

"So Will what do you think? Did Gilda have a admirer, because there is no way in hell she did this of her own free will." Jack fumes taking the photos he stuffs them back into the yellow folder, "when we arrived there the room was a mess, you were covered in Mrs. Logan's blood, nearly in shock from the poison that ran viciously inside your veins it's a miracle that somehow it reversed the effects on you. The doctors call it a allergic reaction what I call it is a blessing." Jack swells with emotion, that makes Will unable to return the favour.

"So simply I have a guardian angel watching over me? What a joke, my luck it would be a demon waiting to bargain my soul. Something unlike a angel would be watching over myself." Will chuckled at his own private joke.

Jack didn't he was opening his mouth to speak again when a brunette doctor came breezing into the room, her smile was filled with sympathetic gestures, as she opened her wide brown eyes at Will she furrowed her brow at Jack. She was pleasant, wearing a turquoise blue dress and heels she looked modest. "Hello Will I'm Dr. Dana Keyes and I'll be your doctor for your remainder of your stay." Her voice is sweet and caring to Will's ears almost motherly.

"Hello." Is all that Will can say in truth he's tired and would admit he was quite thirsty from talking.

"Could I have a word of privacy with my patient, Mr. Crawford?" Dr. Keyes glanced towards the door, Jack a moment later left mumbling about the hospital's lack of caffeine. 

"Whatever you have to say to me could of been said in front of Jack, he's just going to pry it open from me later. So shoot." Will coughs into his arm, he knew whatever the doctor had to say couldn't have been good news.

"Will, is it okay if I call you that?"

"Yeah."

"Will. You suffered a minor seizure a week ago, the reason I know is because when you were brought in your body was telling signs of the after effects of not getting the propel treatment..can you tell me how that happened?" Dr. Keyes glanced at Will's vitals, with a coy smile. 

"Lie Will. Do it quickly." Hannibal's voice is flooding inside him, obeying the voice he fumbled.

"I didn't realise that, I was at home watching tv and I kinda blacked our for a moment, it happens sometimes I didn't think it was anything _serious_." Will lied easily he added a wearied smile at the doctor.

She cocked an eyebrow and Will could tell his lie was almost see through, "you say it's happened before?"

"Twice."

"Well Will, we have to run some tears including a CAT scan and a few MRI's basically loads of brain scans to ensure your brain tissue was not damaged in the seizure, let this be a wake up call for you Will, and we'll start tomorrow morning be sure after tonight you don't eat anything." Dr. Keyes handed off the vital chart to a nurse.

"Dr. Keyes, has anyone else came to see me?" Will twisted the itchy hospital in his hands expecting the doctor's response to be pointless, after all Jack cared a bit, and Beverly was like a older sister to Will.

But, then there was Hannibal.

"As a matter of fact a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Lecter stopped by last night, he sat in your room for hours and left nearly at dawn, other than that no." Dr. Keyes gathered Will's charts leaving the room.

Will scoffed at the idea Hannibal was somehow behind him even being alive. He looked outside of the window despite the usual sunny weather it looked ominous to Will, "it is calm before the storm." He could hear in his mind the hooves of the stag.

There was a storm approaching, and Will could feel it in his fingertips that the childish game has escalated to something far more sinister.


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to make this a 2 part series with the murder husbands falling in love and stuff, eventually i might add Abigail to the mix, forcing the two to stop and become a family??? I don't know yet, i shall come up with a new plot and thanks for commenting and reading subscribing.

A week and a half later, Will could say he had half a dozen visitors between Price and Zeller making jokes how Jack was losing his touch with sending Will in to a mad woman's clutches to Jack and his wife that offered Will their best wishes although Jack could barely look at Will without feeling guilty.

Beverly visited bringing in a few faded paperback novels and telling Will what was going on at the bureau now that Will was at the hospital, out of all the visits Will had yet to see Hannibal, he had not shown himself since Will was in his short lived coma, not that he was waiting for the man to walk through the doors. 

Hannibal had much better things to do besides swoon over Will, no not swooning- a kiss was just a kiss. Will had been _drunk_ , he tried again to picture how he even managed to escape Gilda's wrath. It was a blank to him. 

He missed Hannibal if he was truly honest. But he couldn't admit it, now he surely had lost the game.

"No impossible." Hannibal's cool voice appeared and he accepted that.

Dr. Keyes had ran CAT scans, MRIs and a few others involving blood tests, until then Will was hoping he would be out soon, now as he sat on the bed that had sheets that smelt of bleach and a staleness that couldn't be washed clean he wore a frail hospital gown and his boxers, feeling only more exposed as he sat waiting.

Will was picking apart at his lunch when a nurse came in, her face held a grim expression. He sat down a half eaten sandwich as he was escorted down the hallway, together they walked silently until he was at Dr. Keyes door, the nurse knocked gently three times before the woman opened the door, inside her office was a desk and chair, in front of it was a set of chairs that looked unappealing. He noticed the framed photos of her and what he believed to be a boyfriend, the nurse closed the door gently behind as Will stood motionless, he focused on the bookcase beside him, finding it uninteresting to his needs. 

"Will why don't you take a seat? This isn't going to be long." Dr. Keyes offered sweetly, yet her face held concern, as he sat in the uncomfortable chair he fixed his fingers around his hospital bracelet spinning it every so often.

The plain white walls only made him more drowsy, he could hear the clicks in his mind working as Dr. Keyes asked him a few simple questions enough to set his teeth on edge. He wasn't there, he was inside his home marvelling over his first kill, he tried to picture Hannibal approving as they joined hands-.

"Will, you alright?" Dr. Keyes, stood up pacing her hand on his shoulder- he hated that. Being touched when others thought he needed guidance. Or to feel sorry for.

"I'm fine- just go back to the questions." He snapped, at his request Dr. Keyes let her hand fall to the side.

"You just seemed like you were checking out for a moment-is all." 

"I'm fine."

Dr. Keyes sighed before sitting back behind her desk. She opened a plain folder looking at its contents with a grimace, "Will- now I'm going to ask you a list of questions, you scans came back and what we believe the diagnosis is _encephalitis_ , a rare but not unusual infection." She stated flatly, she shuffled the contents back into place. "It's a inflection that spreads from the brain to other factors of your body."

"Encephalitis? That's what's wrong with me? That can't be right." Will says frozen, he couldn't remember anything sounding so seriously seem like a empty void. 

"Have you had fevers? Or an unusual changes in diet? Insomnia?" 

"I don't-."

"Be honest Will, if you can't tell us- then we can't _help you_."

"Yes, I experienced a fever last week and a few other times, the insomnia too and I really don't care for food at the moment." He admitted twisting his hospital bracelet, spinning it faster than before. 

"Did you experience a black out recently, I believe I was told it was during an episode at home- why not seek out help?" Dr. Keyes consulted, "have you been vomiting?

"Yes, and I didn't think I should bother my health insurance with trips to the hospital." 

"It's preventable any more damage towards your brain, there's treatment so no need to lose hope." She smiled warily. 

"When do we start?"

"I'm going to write you a few prescriptions and since I don't believe you should be alone incase of a seizure or if you become ill, I was hoping do you have a friend you could stay with? Possibly to look over you while you heal? I already spoke to Mr. Crawford he says you are on paid leave until you're feeling like your old self again." Dr. Keyes was handing Will off a few already written prescriptions, in her hand.

Will froze again as the only person came into view. Biting the inside of his cheek, he took the papers hastily. 

"I could keep you here for a week or so, but the hospital is no place for anyone. And I'm sure you would become tired of the same routine day in and day out." Dr. Keyes drummed her fingers against her desk, awaiting for Will's answer.

"I believe so, could I make a phone call? He's more or less a good friend of mine." Will says reflecting, the doctor hands Will her personal cell phone, to his surprise his actually knows the number by heart.

After a few rings a smooth silk voice answers leaving Will's spine tingling. 

( ) ( ) ( )

"You really don't have to do this, it's just for a week." Will assured Hannibal as they walked throughout the grocery store, the two had been silent almost after Will had left the hospital, Hannibal made sure to point out that his _ill fated disease_ would surely be gone as quickly as it came. 

"Will I prefer it if you are my friend, so I shall prepare a meal in your honour." Hannibal replied cheerfully as he threw in something Will raised his eyebrows at, "of course no humans will be harmed in this meal." He added in a low voice, Will smiled he toyed with his clothes that itched on his skin, even worse they smelled awful.

He wondered if they could stop by his home to pickup his clothes, toothbrush and a few other normal things, as he pictured his home he had a gut feeling Hannibal all along had everything planned including his clothes, if he thought about it Hannibal possibly had a key to get easily in and out of Will's home. 

"How did you do it?"

Hannibal stopped shortly with the shopping cart, the older man smiled retorting his shopping cart, "do what?"

"You know what you did- you killed Gilda didn't you. How did you know were I was?" 

"A simple matter of a tracking chip in your phone, I placed it in your phone after your first session..you wouldn't believe the amount of times you black out..I didn't want to lose you after all." He proclaimed, as he checked on his watch, "I never cared so much about a human life besides yours _Will_." 

"You saved me? Why?"

"You aren't still thinking about killing me William, are you?" 

"No..I don't-."

"Then you have your answer, now come on we can't be wasting the whole day in a grocery store." Hannibal said calming Will again, "I want you well for your next task."

"What task?"

Hannibal cupped Will's chin until he could smell the musky scent upon Hannibal, his fingers gentle and cold as ice, "to prepare you, for a rebirth, unlike any other." He pressed his lips gently on Will's forehead as he could only imagine what Hannibal held in store for the two.

( ) ( ) ( )

Hannibal pried open the door, grabbing ahold of the bell above it, he could smell Will's scent a mix of a poor choice of aftershave and a flowery odour that lingered on the man. 

He could hear laboured breathing of someone in the next room, taking quick stealth steps he walked towards a room that had a sewing machine, some awful hair dye and finally Will who was slumped over with his eyes closed, he ran towards him grabbing his wrist he checked his pulse to find it still moving yet very slowly. 

"Will can you hear me?" Hannibal whispered into his ear, still nothing. Angered by this Hannibal stood still until a female figure came into view, her eyes were fierce as she held onto a box of hair dye, her face lacked effort as she saw Hannibal.

Deer caught in headlights, he had seen the same look many times by his victims, her eyes connected with Will's slumped over body.

"Gilda is it? You realise this man is part of the FBI and you killed him? Tell me what are you planning?" Hannibal said as if they were old friends talking about their weekend plans.

"I-I didn't realise.."

"Yes, of course not." 

Gilda at that moment ran from the room and Hannibal let her run, until he was tired of the childish game, he walked after her she had no where to hide, a linen closet was a failed bet. She was mumbling her prayers as Hannibal opened the door open he grabbed her head knocking it against the closet's door, she blacked out immediately as Hannibal smiled he produced his own box of hair dye and reassumed her design with her of course being part of it.

Hannibal stripped the woman of clothing only leaving her undergarments on, her placed on a sickly pink dress on her before dying her hair a blonde dye that irritated his nose, he thought of blow drying her hair but the chances of waking her up were too risky.

Instead he placed her against the wall, as her eyes fluttered open she shrieked seeing that it wasn't a nightmare, the living nightmare was standing before her. He offered no mercy as she closed her eyes one tear slid down her face.

"You could save him, he just.." She trailed off, as Hannibal sat in front of her face wielding a knife his face a snarl as he pressed it against her throat, "there's a way to save him- get him to a hospital." She pleaded as Hannibal nods slowly pressing the knife slowly, he wanted her to feel pain every last drop of her blood was to be spattered across her home.

"What are you to Will? His lover?" She spat out, making Hannibal only grimaced with repulsion at the woman. He would enjoy her death. 

"Not quite yet, but I understand the idea that Will has fantasies about me, dreams and things that you would never understand." He says with relish, he enjoyed her squirming beneath his grip desperate for a way out. 

"You're a monster, just because you are- you are making him yours aren't you?" She realised with horror.

"Thank you Gilda, but unlike you I am a doctor and Will Graham." He paused trying to think of the right word, "alas Will was not your last victim instead it is yourself that net such a fatal ending," he watched as she choked on her own blood, her blood spattering his suit, he didn't mind. Not daring to even leave the weapon behind he grabbed it shoving it into his pocket for later disposal.

As he left the room, he could hear Will breathe a sign of relief Hannibal walked into the room reaching for his dark curls he kissed his head gently, "I shall see you soon Will, only a matter of time." 

Turning on his heel he carefully closed the door, walking down a few streets until he found the alleyway where his car sat. Sliding into the seat he found a throw away phone that he had purchased that day, inside his trunk was a man that had short changed him, it was enough to use him for his own needs. 

Opening the trunk the man was badly beaten, until his eyes were bloody and purple, his mouth although was still in working order- as Hannibal opened the flip phone he dialled 911 quickly who're pressing send he pulled the gag off the man who choked on the fresh air.

"Please don't hurt me- I have a family!" He assured Hannibal desperately who nodded.

"We are past that Greg, now do as I say and you might live." He instructed the man who nodded desperately. "No crying out for help, or else." 

"Fine I'll do anything. Just tell me what to do, please." He added hoarsely.

"Firstly you are to speak and tell the operator there has been a accident, tell them you walked inside to see a man injured gravely and a woman _dead_ on the floor give them the address and nothing more, be convincing." Hannibal says encouraging as he pressed the phone against the man's cheek, "do try and seek out for help." Hannibal pressed send holding the phone against his ear, after a minute the operator picked up as soon as Greg was finished and gave the crucial details Hannibal removed the phone snapping it in two.

"I-I did everything right? Didn't I?" Greg says shakily, "please don't kill me!"

Hannibal sighed briefly before producing the very same knife that killed Gilda, he watched as Greg's dark eyes became wide, Hannibal didn't even pause this time, a simple slit throat and Greg was dead.

He wondered what to do with the body, he could try another Chesapeake Ripper setting, he frowned knowing that was no good, he would have to think of something more creative. 

In the distance he could hear sirens to his satisfaction he had saved Will's life and that was enough for now, curling his fingers he slammed the trunk driving away from his disastrous scene, if only he had taken Will along. 

He could always visit him at the hospital that is of course the man was sleeping and wouldn't bother him with questions, he would tell Will in time all of his answers.

Waiting patiently was the key.

_end of part one_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also sorry for tagging a major character death, that didn't really happen. I think I'll kill someone off in part 2, maybe.


End file.
